Yesterday was an usual day. While driving from the underpass that leads onto Rainbow roundabout, a car came speeding behind me (I was already going 87 and at the rate he was going I had decided to accelerate to move to the right).

I hit 100 and he was still coming up behind me. By now I could see it was some tiny hatch-back. He got so close to me (bumper to bumper) that I breaked to get him to back off. When he did, I moved over to the right hand lane and looked into his car.

He was a police man. In fact, he looked like a traffic police man. ‘Oh reeeeeeaally?’ I thought. So I opened my window and he did too (we were both driving around 60 now and talking).

‘What do you think you’re doing putting my life at risk?’

‘What?’ he says.

‘Why are you speeding! It’s dangerous.’, I scream back.

‘YOU were speeding’, he replies. It’s obvious he’s trying to cover himself now.

‘Only to avoid being rammed into by you!’

He grins and by then I take it he’s just another idiot on the road, (except sadly he’s also shaming his uniform), so I raise the window and he shoots off.

*sighs*

update: just to be clear, this road was an 80km road and the person coming up behind me had just passed a camera.

So I had an accident yesterday. It’s inevitable in Qatar. As cautious as you are, there are just some idiots who do not pay attention. Just today on the roundabout, some Indian guy in a pick up went from the right lane to the left and almost hit me. It wasn’t intentional, he just was blissfully unaware that I was even on the road. They need to teach people to use their mirrors and turn their heads!

My accident was a stupid one as well. While at a round about, I was turning right and there was a car in front of me. The road was clear. He accelerated to turn right, I looked left to ensure there were no cars, he continues turning right and for NO REASON, he slams on his breaks! I bang into him unable to swerve. I even followed the two second distance rule.

His car looked scratched up from the back but no way I could have done that! He explains that it wasn’t me, in fact it was caused by bikes hitting the back of his car. Bikes!! Even BIKES crash into him. He must slam on the breaks for fun!

So the Indian guy apologizes and says that his foot slipped onto the break… fine… We move our cars to the side and I ask to speak to Read the rest of this entry »

Besides being a term to also describe the state of a well trained man by his wife (or girlfriend), in this case, it’s not a funny thought.

I read an article on the Gulf Times (see here) where ‘Bachelours’, were being WHIPPED if they tried to enter family areas.

I was in the souq a few days ago and saw the police turning away Indians (or labourers) trying to enter specific areas of the souq. Those areas being where the cafes and restaurants are.

At that time, I saw one police man say “No entrance here, go to the other area of the souq”. On the other hand another police man said “Go! Get!” and shoved some of them away.

However now they’ve resorted to whipping?! It’s just unacceptable! Fine, maybe some may not understand, how about you employ an Indian police guy to translate. How about you put a sign up in THEIR language to let them know which areas are family areas.

I’ll be honest, I’ve heard stories from women saying that some men stand there and stare at them while they’re at the cafe and ‘touch’ themselves… That’s something they should be whipped for probably, but hitting them as if to steer them like cattle is just… I’m lost for words. I’m going to contact the Human Rights Authority to see what they have to say about this but WTF???

The thing is, there aren’t that many social areas in Qatar these days because everything is under construction. I understand that sometimes, it’s not a pretty site when you have some labourers, not dressed well, sometimes reaking of B.O., and staring and touching themselves, but it’s still wrong to whip.. 

I don’t even know what to say, and in this case, I really don’t have a suggestion to make to make both sides happy… the labour city will help that’s for sure (with the malls, sports complexes and gardens for them) but it’s not enough… 

Perhaps some of the readers of this blog can comment and shed some of their own insight?

Side note: Family areas in Qatar Souq Wagif, Souq Najda, and The Corniche. The family times are until 7pm. Then it’s open to everyone